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Hybrid View

Battery Tender '06 R1200GS

I need a "smart" battery charger for my '06 GS that I can leave plugged up to the bike whenever its stored and not worry about damage to either bike or battery. I've had great luck with a Battery Tender on my ST1300, but am concerned about the BMW electrical system. I'm sure BMW sells one, but I'd like to find one that is closer and cheaper.

Suggestions?

Many thanks,

Bob

Last edited by deilenberger; 01-28-2013 at 07:52 PM.
Reason: added year/model to title

BTW, I'd recommend using a christmas tree light timer so that you can program the charger/monitor to come on only about an hour each day ... 24/7 is overkill.

But isn't this what the "smart" charger is all about? Thought it could "read" the battery and only apply what charging was needed....thus allowing a lazy owner, such as myself, to plug it up and then fully ignore the whole thing. I have used such a charger on my Honda and left it unattended for weeks at a time with no ill effects.

I would connect the charger directly to the battery, so using an accessory port is of little benefit to me.

Battery Tender

I have all 3. Problem with the junior is it won't charge if battery is very low, say if owner left something on and killed the battery. Full size battery tender works well also. I use mine on my 1150. Optimate will charge thru the canbus power ports and has additional features to de-sulphate (sp?) the battery. All three will maintain well. I use jr on the versys, full size bt on the 1150, and optimate on the canbus rt. in my opinion, worth the extra $50, but all will work. My dealer sells the optimate if that means anything.

I have all 3. Problem with the junior is it won't charge if battery is very low, say if owner left something on and killed the battery. Full size battery tender works well also. I use mine on my 1150. Optimate will charge thru the canbus power ports and has additional features to de-sulphate (sp?) the battery. All three will maintain well. I use jr on the versys, full size bt on the 1150, and optimate on the canbus rt. in my opinion, worth the extra $50, but all will work. My dealer sells the optimate if that means anything.

Does it take a "special" charger such as the Optimate to charge through the accesory plugs? That is, does the CAN-bus system dictate a unique charging technology?

Does it take a "special" charger such as the Optimate to charge through the accesory plugs? That is, does the CAN-bus system dictate a unique charging technology?

There has been a lot of discussion about this since the accessory socket was connected to the ZFE in about 2005...but I think the answer is no. Connecting any charger to the socket will keep the circuit on until the charger goes to float and then it may or may not switch off. It's a lot simpler to connect a pigtail to the battery and be done with it.

Accessory Socket Charging

When I got my 1150 I used the accessory socket to charge (its an 04) I thought it was the best idea ever. However now it wont charge through the socket & I had thought maybe my tender had issues, so I borrowed one from a friend, turns out it wont charge through the socket either. Not sure if it is the socket itself or something else in the system yet. In talking to my dealership they said BMW no longer recommends using the accessory socket for charging, so i use pigtails on it & the RT.